Federal Electorate · Area profile
O'Connor
1,126,947 km²
A growing population has shifted the character of O'Connor, which added about 22,152 people since 2011. The community is noticeably older than the national average, with a typical resident now aged 42. It is a place of contrasts, where high rates of home ownership and a strong volunteering spirit sit alongside lower typical incomes. This region of Western Australia is largely car-dependent, with a landscape dominated by large, detached houses.
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The area has become older, with the proportion of seniors rising 8.4 points since 2011 to reach 19.8%. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 5.7% of the population, which is a little above the national figure.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the number of people born overseas has fallen 12 points since 2011 to 17.5%. This is far below the state and national figures.
English is the main language for 82.4% of the community. Only 7.5% of people use another language at home, and very few—just 0.8%—speak little or no English.
A large portion of the community reports no religion, at 46.8%, which is well above the national figure. This has seen a significant rise of 19 points since 2011.
Educational attainment is much lower than most areas, with only 42.3% of people completing Year 12. This is far below the national figure of 58.8%.
Typical weekly household income is $1,456, which is a little below the national figure. While typical incomes are lower, the proportion of households earning $3,000 or more a week rose 5.9 points since 2011.
About 28.6% of people have a long-term health condition, which is about the same as the national average. Those needing help with daily activities rose 1.9 points since 2011 to 5.1%.
Volunteering is very high here, with 22.0% of people helping out, well above the national figure of 14.1%. Many people also do a fair bit of unpaid housework, at 22.5%.
People living alone have increased significantly, rising 12 points since 2011 to 29.9%. This is well above the national figure of 25.6%.
The area is dominated by separate houses, which make up 90.5% of homes. Home ownership is strong, with 36.8% of homes owned outright, and typical weekly rents are much lower than the national figure at $250.
Most people rely on cars, with 63.0% driving to work and very few using public transport. Public transport use is far below the state average, and only 1.8% of people commute via transit.
The community is relatively stable, as the proportion of people who moved in the last five years fell to 34.8%. Recent overseas arrivals also fell 7.0 points since 2011 to 10.7%.
Full-time employment is a little above the national figure at 61.3%. The unemployment rate is 4.0%, which is much lower than most areas and fell 1.8 points since 2016.
The area is mostly car-dependent with a walkability score of 3.4, well below the state average. Only 41.2% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of basic amenities.